Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit in Detroit
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Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan, US
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Site: http://mocadetroit.org/
- Monday:Closed
- Tuesday:Closed
- Wednesday:11AM–5PM
- Thursday:11AM–8PM
- Friday:11AM–8PM
- Saturday:11AM–5PM
- Sunday:11AM–5PM
Perfect end to a brunch date. Went to the MoCAD on a Sunday afternoon and it wasnt crowded so we got to enjoy all of the exhibits to ourselves. They work off donations so give what you can do they can stay open! They also have a bar and refreshments for purchase during your visit.
Great experience! Free, monitored parking on site. $5 donation suggested upon entry. Screening required upon entry; your choice of self screening on your phone or staff assisted screening. Large, industrial themed open spaces feature a variety of contemporary, rotating exhibits in a building that was (many years ago) a car dealership. Quaint museum shop offers apparel and gifts you will actually use. The cafe features amazing coffee and snacks to add to the enjoyment of your visit.
This place is so much fun! But beware that is is contemporary art, and if you dont think youd be able to handle things that dont look like art as art, then Id suggest going to the DIA. But if you love seeing things put into a different perspective and finding new and interesting things, this place is for you!
Very small place, admission is free (tip based). It was my first time going (pandemic review) so the café was closed but would be a vibe if open. My friend told me they switch the artwork around a lot, its a room for viewing cinema and another two rooms for artwork. Also the giftshop is small but has local artist and store novelties. Great place to vibe out and see local artist.
Good option to appreciate the arts. It’s a smaller gallery with great exhibits. They do a good job keeping people safe during Covid. Friends and I were going to go to the DIA but decided to do a smaller gallery hoping it wouldn’t be overpopulated. This place did not disappoint.
Incredibly disappointed to see the anti-Israel exhibit summer 2021. This sort of politics, including talk of settler colonialism (describing people who are actually native to the region??) and institutionalized violence, without any context for what is an incredibly complex situation, should have no place in an art museum.
I love this place and it is near and dear to me as a member of theDetroit art community. I do wish they could do more to make sure that all visitors were respectful of the facility. I know it is a tall order and not expecting them to be police, but it would add to everyones over all experience.
So spacious, served alcohol, very kind crowd. Service workers were nice and quick to get us in. A bit stuffy even when the garage door style wall was open to let air in. We didnt care, Bill Callahan was worth it. Museum itself was closed since the show occurred on a Monday. Would love to go back to see the exhibits.
Cool experience that draws you in. This museum isnt huge but it packs a punch. Theres many different pieces on display including a room to feature artists. The vibe was cool, the employees helpful, and the art was thought provoking. Theres also a full bar for some drinks after to discuss your favorite art piece. Good place to take out of towners. Dont forget to visit the exhibit they feature in the mobile home next to the building. Ive never gone because I always forget its there but Ive heard its just as awesome.
One of my favourite art galleries in the world. Great rolling local and international exhibits, which is particularly important in telling the story of Detroit through locals’ eyes. Can see why the community fought to save the collection. Beautiful building and cafe, great to work in. Memorably friendly staff.
Beautiful building that serves as the periodical home to wonderful thought-provoking pieces of contemporary art. definitely a place to visit should you ever find yourself in midtown. cafe 78 in the same building has a great bar and food selection. staff are the friendliest people around!
Layout was a bit confusing upon first visit. It took us a while to find the exhibits we wanted. We eventually stumbled upon the immaculate courtyard. Its glass ceiling, eclectic decor, and convenient bar were definitely the highlights of our visit. I would pay the price of admission again just to lounge in that beautiful space on a rainy day.
I stopped by here one afternoon hoping to grab a bite at the cafe. Unfortunately there was an event that prevented me from doing that, but I was still able to explore the art on display. This is a donation based museum, so pay what you can, with the suggested donation $5 I think. Its not huge so it doesnt take long to explore, but I really enjoyed seeing all the different types of art.
We visited during the DELECTRICTY event. I just moved back at the time and was completely blown away by this new gem. SO glad there is a place like this in our city. They are doing great things and are really on the edge of what is happening in the art world. Also have a full bar AND you can get food.
My experience at this place is not in the gallery area but the cafe space as a meeting place for AA. Different right?! There are meetings Sunday and Wednesday nights at 8. I’m new to town and new to the program. My first meeting there was a couple of Wednesday nights ago and it was a small group with a big impact. I went to tonight’s (Sunday) meeting and wouldn’t recommend it. It’s a big meeting in a large room where the acoustics make it a almost inaudible one.As for the art the little exploring I got to do after meeting I peeped three Barry “Twist” McGee paintings on the walls as permanent works. For me him and many of the SF based artists that in the 90’s started to share their vandal hearts with gallery goers are contemporary art. So as soon as I get a chance I definitely plan on coming through to see other great works. 🤙🏽
A historic building which used to be an auto dealership, now displaying contemporary art. The graffiti outside is super cool and photogenic, and there are periodic messages displayed as well that are contemplative (my favorite: there is no one left to blame.) The art exhibits are a hit or miss for me, but thats because Im not a big fan of contemporary art to begin with. I highly enjoy the community projects though (giving school children cameras then displaying their pictures was way better than I expected!) There is a nice little cafe (Cafe 78), and a small gift shop as well. Also, free admissions for students is hard to beat!
A great fixture of the local community that is fit for the Detroit tourist. Some galleries will blow your mind. Some will make you ask why anyone thinks this is art. Pretentious atmosphere, but not unapproachable. Thats modern art for you. Happy to support it, even when it is bad. Donation-based, so there is no risk. Worth the trip for the occasional amazing showing.
If youre reading reviews to decide whether its worth trying, then you should try it. Its not quite my cup of tea, but it is great for what it is. This is a different flavor of contemporary art from what youll find at the DIA, Cranbrook or elsewhere. Im glad I went, would go again if I knew someone who wanted to. Then again, what you see may be entirely different from what I saw. They dont own art, they just exhibit it for a limited time. Also, its one of the few museums in the city where parking is free.
A great place for events and to see contemporary, thought-provoking art work, but did you know they host a free yoga session on Sunday evenings at 6 pm? This is as of April 2018 so if you’re reading this in 2019, take it with a grain of salt. MOCAD has their doors open for big community events like Noel Night as well. Worth a visit!
Mocad has thoughtfully curated shows from artists of regional, national and international significance. They also have great programming showcasing contemporary music, writing, poetry, film and other art genres. The cafe is roomy and a great place to relax for a while.
The Museum is lack luster. Displaying 3 major works of art, the museum seems to focus more on selling goods to create capital. Their cafe is the center of the building to attract patrons to purchase over priced drinks from them.Don’t go out of your way to visit. But if you are in the area stop by and expose yourself to art.
Always creative and compelling upcoming or established, local to international artists. The folks running the front end have always been friendly. Went the other night with two kids in a stroller. The toddler had a slice of pizza that even though he wasnt eating it, he wasnt ready to let it go. No one made a deal about it so didnt have to face a toddler power struggle to get rid of the slice, which Im thankful for.
I want to love MOCAD, but Im generally always disappointed in the exhibitions and the general experience of the visit. They have a beautiful gallery space, but it is extremely underutilized. There are only two small gallery spaces that take at most 20 minutes to look through (a high estimate), and in my opinion, they are lazy from a curating standpoint. Staff is also generally stand-offish. Im hopeful that MOCAD will became a true centerpiece of the city one day, but TBD.
Check this place out! We came in from Cleveland for a day trip and had a wonderful time looking around MOCAD and DIA. The neighborhood is pretty cool and easy to navigate with a lot of restaurants and at least one coffee joint to my knowledge. Its really inspiring to see Detroit and Cleveland rally our communities behind the arts.
My daughter was just married at MOCAD. Leto was a great help and very personable right from the start. He and his team did a fantastic job of helping us plan and envision the event. The day of the wedding they set up for the ceremony and reception exactly as planned. Everything looked beautiful and flowed seemlessly. They were timely and professional, and helped tirelessly with smiles all around. Thank you Leto & the entire amazing team. I would recommend you in a heartbeat. ❤️
Its an awesome gallery but I wish they werent closed on Mondays and Tuesdays :( they also have weird hours. I understand its not the DIA but would it hurt for them to have better visitation hours?Also parking is very difficult and is nearly impossible to find, being as it is a popular attraction and you do pay a fair amount to get in, they should do something about the parking situation or at least partner up with the nearby Wayne State parking garage to get you a lower rate to park.
This may be an unpopular opinion but as a visitor from out of town I enjoyed the mocad more than the dia.( not that the dia wasnt wonderful) I just personally found the exhibits much more engaging and less formal, which allowed me to interact with on a more comfortable and personal level.
A different kind of contemporary art museum. Seasonal openings host international musical talent. The shows pair local and global. It blurs the boundaries between art, design, and criticism. The food and drink in Café 78 also features cocktails with a pantone number. Home of a replica of Mike Kellys house. Free admission.
MOCAD is a very quaint location with rotating art and a wonderful cafe area inside. SuperHappySushi has a permanent operation there so I highly recommend getting sushi sometime. I was glad to discover this spot as I hope to utilize it for future meetup potential. Take a look!
Im not a fan of contemporary art, but I am into supporting local artists, especially young black artists in and around Detroit. They recently had a talk featuring Dora Apel of WSU on ruin porn, and the book she wrote. I was really looking forward to it, until upon attending realized it was all white hipsters that feed gentrification, there to look at images of ruin porn...at a lecture that was supposed to be critical of ruin pornography.During Q/A, a born and raised Detroit woman asked how the professor can reconcile being critical of ruin pornography, all while showing image after image of these desolate buildings in the same vein as ruin pornographers do, and that, in fact, nearly everyone in attendance was there to view the images and not take the criticism to heart.Ive since stopped attending talks there, and would much rather attend academic lectures in the academic setting, hard for me to get over that bad experience.
Total reviews rating 4.5
199 Reviews for Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit 2023:
Review №1
2022-01-26Outstanding art exhibits and a quite cafe with delicious drinks.
Review №2
2022-06-24Excellent exhibit featuring jazz and Sun Ra. Its a pay what you wish admission fee. But recommend paying as much as you can - this is a wonderful space and needs to be successful
Review №3
2021-05-05Take a virtual tour of this fabulous Museum of Contemporary and Modern Art.Considered to house one of the best art collections in the United States, the Institute showcases everything from mummies to modern art and African masks to Monets in its outstanding collection of over 65,000 works. Dont miss the General Motors Center for African American Art, a part of the DIA which showcases 400 pieces, in various media, by African American artists.
Review №4
2021-05-18What an amazing addition to the artistic scene in Detroit. Nothing stuffy or formal... just enough to pique your interest, without overtaxing the senses.Best of all the entrance fee is whatever you can afford to donate! The MoCaD is a must see!
Review №5
2019-03-21Great museum. Its free and theres even a coffee shop, so you can enjoy a cup after seeing some authentic modern art. It a very wide open setting with no walls and plenty of room to enjoy yourself. There wasnt a lot of people when I went, but you could tell that many have been here. It isnt huge, but there is a nice variety.
Review №6
2021-01-05Stopped here and I loved it! They had the Christmas exhibit outside , I enjoyed the museum and It’s a nice lowkey spot with cool and interesting art
Review №7
2019-12-01Love the space. Love the atmosphere. Good location. Last night was the most crowded show we’ve been to here. Almost felt like too many tickets were sold? Appreciate the water dispenser up at the bar but it was really hard to get to it through the crowd. Sad that no coffee was available this time. (Yeah, we are old.) Overall a good experience but not sure why we had to wait in line for so long after the start time of 8pm to get inside, though... The older I get the more I wish shows would start on time.
Review №8
2018-06-05Had a great time. Went to see the Terracotta Warriors, and saw some other displays.Ragnar Kjartansson was a great experience. A group of people in an old home in NY, various different rooms all start playing a song. You see each of the musicians playing on different screens around the room.
Review №9
2020-10-11Well worth a visit. Great space, somehow both small & large. Free to enter (donations accepted/encouraged) and free parking.
Review №10
2019-02-20Wonderful museum. Turned out to be the perfect venue for a wedding and reception. These photos were take by MeandHim Photography.